ALL NOVEL Chapter 17: Chapter 17
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The root ninja leaped across the rooftops, putting as much distance as possible between himself and Ikeno's house. There was only one thought on his mind: Don't get caught! If his identity was exposed, it would give the Third Hokage evidence to use against Danzo.
Ritoru and Ikeno chased after him, while two Anbu ninjas followed from behind. The night sky was calm, the cool moonlight bathing the village of Konoha in its glow. Ritoru glanced up at the moon, and suddenly, moonlight started to gather on its body, like fireflies glowing in the dark.
"Is it absorbing the tidal energy of the moon?" Ikeno thought in surprise.
A few moments later, the moonlight stabilized, and Ritoru grew larger once again. Suddenly, a loud crash echoed ahead. The roof caved in right in front of the fleeing root ninja. This was Ritoru's attack—aimed not directly at the ninja but at the rooftop in front of him.
"What the... why did the roof collapse?" The root ninja was caught off guard. His speed was too fast, and he was focused on his surroundings. As the roof crumbled, his forward momentum carried him right into the hole.
Crack! His ankle twisted, and his leg broke as he crashed into the roof, leaving him in excruciating pain. He lay there, one leg stuck in a split, with the pain radiating through his entire body. He couldn't help but scream internally at the pain in his groin.
Ikeno, catching up, couldn't help but laugh. "Haha! This little guy is pretty smart. That was a clever trap! I like it."
He caught up to Ritoru, who had returned to its kitten size, and petted it. Ritoru purred happily, narrowing its eyes in satisfaction.
"Who's there?" called the two Anbu ninjas who had just arrived on the scene. They saw the ninja, sitting awkwardly on the roof, leg broken. "Wait... that guy is from the Root division!"
The root ninja, his face contorted in pain, realized the mission had failed. Worse, Anbu had arrived. As they stepped forward to interrogate him, he activated a jutsu, causing everyone to feel drowsy.
The two Anbu ninjas collapsed, unconscious, and even Ikeno felt the effect but managed to resist thanks to his strong mental fortitude.
"Hypnosis! That root ninja is using genjutsu!" Ikeno exclaimed.
However, Ritoru seemed unaffected by the illusion. Its eyes glowed, and with a roar, it dispelled the jutsu. The two Anbu ninjas woke up, groggily rubbing their heads. Ikeno felt his mind clear as well.
"Ritoru can dispel genjutsu too!" Ikeno marveled. "That's awesome! But I wonder if it could dispel stronger genjutsu like Infinite Tsukuyomi..."
Just as the Anbu moved to apprehend the root ninja, he bit down hard on something hidden in his mouth. Blood spurted from his lips, and his body quickly dissolved into a pool of flesh. He had used a poison capsule to prevent capture, a method designed to erase his body so no information could be recovered.
Still, the Third Hokage learned of Danzo's plot. He called Kakashi to strengthen the night patrols around Ikeno's 's house. He even had hidden sentries set up to guard against further assassination attempts.
Meanwhile, in a hidden cave at the edge of Konoha, a man in black knelt before Danzo. "Lord Danzo, Anpachi has also been killed, and his body has dissolved."
"What! Anba too?" Danzo's eyes flickered with surprise and anger. Thirteen assassins, including some highly skilled Jonin, had been sent—and all had failed. Danzo stood there, his expression dark and brooding.
Realizing the risk of further exposure, especially since Ikeno was under the Third Hokage's protection, Danzo decided to hold back, for now, though he wasn't happy about it. "This Toshi Ikeno is more formidable than I thought. It looks like I'll need to consult with the Elders."
The next day, Ikeno went to the Hokage's office to request help in repairing his roof. He ran into the Third Hokage, who was drinking alone.
"Grandpa Hokage, you should be careful. Drinking is bad for your health!" Ikeno said.
The Third Hokage, looking a little tipsy, chuckled and then coughed. "Ahem... so what exactly happened last night? How did that root ninja fall?"
Ikeno scratched his head. "Didn't they tell you? It was the cat."
"Cat? What cat?" the Hokage asked, confused.
That's when Ikeno realized: Ritoru must be invisible to everyone else!
A massive holographic panel appeared in front of him, showing three sections: Tailed Beasts, Summoning Beasts, and Ninja Beasts. The Tailed Beast section had nine gray boxes. In the Summoning Beast section, there were over a hundred gray boxes, but only one was lit up—the black cat demon, Ritoru.
By clicking on it, Ikeno discovered Ritoru's talents and abilities. Its talents were divided into three categories: tenacity (tank), wildness (DPS), and excitement (support). Ritoru's talent was wildness. Its known abilities were claw attacks, roof-shattering strikes, invisibility, and genjutsu dispelling.
As Ikeno marveled at the abilities, he imagined himself leading a horde of Summoning Beasts into battle, becoming the greatest summoner in the Naruto world. His daydreams were interrupted by the Third Hokage coughing again.
"Ahem... your new house has been repaired. You can move there soon. It's closer to the village center and should be safer."
Ikeno didn't care too much about safety, as he believed Danzo would hold back for now. But he was glad to be moving to a better house. To show his gratitude, Ikeno gave the Hokage a special gift—a banana with instructions—and ran off, laughing.
By the time the Third Hokage figured out what it was, his affection for Ikeno only grew stronger.
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